It’s not like you just wake up one day, and your hearing is gone. Hearing loss, particularly when it’s caused by aging, usually progresses in degrees. You may not realize it’s happening right away but some indicators do appear earlier.
These initially developing symptoms advance very subtly. Identifying them sooner is crucial to slow down the development of hearing loss or other health issues connected to aging. But if you are unaware of what the early symptoms are, you won’t be able to recognize if you have them. You might be developing hearing loss if you identify any of the following eight barely detectable indicators.
1. You hear some people perfectly fine but not others
Maybe you can hear the cashier just fine, but when your wife joins the conversation, everything gets muddled. It’s a common sign that the nerves that send messages to the brain are damaged (known as sensorineural hearing loss).
Her voice is not as clear to you because it’s higher in pitch. You might have the same problem with your grandchild or daughter. Even higher pitched tones such as the phone ringing or alarm clock can get lost. Those are also high pitched tones.
2. You don’t like to talk on the phone
It’s easy to make excuses for why you don’t pick up the phone when it rings:
- I’m simply not used to this brand new phone yet
- I get tons of spam calls – that’s probably what it is
Contemplate why you dislike using your phone. If you have the volume all the way up and can’t hear what is being said, let a friend test the phone for you. You most likely have a hearing loss issue if you can’t hear the voice but your friend can.
3. Why is everyone mumbling?
It seems like it’s no longer just the kids who are mumbling when they talk, it’s your neighbor, the news woman, your spouse, and even your bartender. If it seems like everyone in your life is mumbling, you’re most likely dealing with hearing loss, because what is the probability of that? You’re not hearing words the same as you used to. Mumbling or lost consonants like “S” or “T” is one of the initial signs that your hearing is changing.
4. What?
You might not even recognize that you can’t hear conversations anymore until somebody points out that you’re saying “What?” during conversations a lot. Frequently, the first people to detect you are developing hearing loss are the people you see on a daily basis, like family and coworkers. You should certainly pay attention if someone says something.
5. What’s that ringing in my ears?
Okay, this isn’t really a subtle indication, but it is something people tend to ignore unless it’s distracting. A common sign of hearing loss is a ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus.
Tinnitus can also be intermittent because triggers are a significant factor. For example, maybe the ringing, buzzing, or roaring only manifests in the morning or when you are tired. Or, it could also be a symptom of high blood pressure, circulatory issues, or trauma.
If you’re experiencing these symptoms you should schedule an appointment for an exam because they may be an indication that you’re having a health problem.
6. It’s not as fun going to the neighborhood block party
Again, there are those people mumbling, and that’s not fun. Also, being in noisy places makes understanding what people say that much harder. It becomes extremely difficult for you to hear anything when you’re in the presence of something as simple as the AC kicking in or children splashing and playing in the pool. And, you always feel fatigued from trying to focus in on conversations.
7. You feel more worn out than normal
Battling to understand words is exhausting. You feel more fatigued than normal because your brain has to work overtime to try and process what it’s trying to hear. You may even experience changes in your other senses. If your brain is using 110 percent of its time and energy to understand words, what’s left for your eyesight or balance? If your last eye exam was good, then the next thing to get tested is your ears.
8. Why can’t I hear this TV?
It’s easy to blame your old TV or the service provider when you need to keep cranking the volume up. It can be hard to hear the dialogue on your favorite shows when you have hearing loss. The background music and sound effects are befuddling dialogue, for example. There are other things such as the room AC or ceiling fan to deal with. If you keep cranking up the volume, then your hearing may be failing.
Fortunately, all it takes to know for certain is a professional hearing assessment and if you find out your hearing is failing, hearing aids will help you get some of your hearing back.
Give us a call today to schedule an appointment for a hearing test if you’ve detected any of the above signs.